The present invention relates to an IC card reader/writer and a method of operation thereof for interfacing between an IC card used for an electronic money system and various conventional equipment such as POS terminals and banking teller terminals, and more particularly to an IC card reader/writer and a method of operation thereof suitably used for interfacing each of IC cards containing electronic money and conventional equipment in the case where electronic money transactions are made between the IC cards.
In recent years, an electronic money system has been suggested in which electronic money is exchanged by communication between IC cards containing electronic money. The IC card used for this system includes a microprocessor having a communication function and a memory such as EEPROM for storing a processing program and the balance of electronic money. Electronic money can be transferred between IC cards by means of an electronic money system through which terminals installed in banks, retail or other stores and residences of individuals or stand-alone terminals are arbitrarily connectable through a public telephone line.
In the electronic money system described above, however, the functions and hardware to constitute the system have not yet been defined.